MD HB1171

Expands voting rights for the student member of the Howard County Board of Education by removing 7 categories of exclusion from the current 14 prohibited voting areas

Student member gains voting authority on: geographical attendance areas, real property acquisition and disposition, school construction, donations, condemnation, school consolidation, student transportation, budgetary matters, and student suspension/expulsion

Student member remains prohibited from voting on: employment of architects, superintendent appointment and salary, employee discipline appeals, staff appointment and promotion, certificated staff discipline, and collective bargaining for both certificated and noncertificated employees

Howard County Board of Education consists of 7 elected members and 1 student member

Takes effect July 1, 2026